The Energy Powerhouse

Driven by the desire to reduce greenhouse
gases, Professor Behdad Moghtaderi is transforming the energy and mining sectors
using his revolutionary GRANEX heat engine and greenhouse gas abatement technologies.

Attracting more than $48 million
in research funding in the past 12 years and with more than 220 publications, the
world-renowned chemical engineer has helped solve some of the biggest issues in
improving energy efficiency and developing low emissions coal and renewable
energy technologies.

"Reducing global greenhouse gas
emissions has always been the driver of my research – the future of our planet
depends on it," Professor Moghtaderi said.

"These innovations are not only
important economically for industry, but to society's overall quality of life,
health and environment," he said.

Professor Moghtaderi and his 30-strong
research team, based at the University of Newcastle's world-class
interdisciplinary research facility
Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources (NIER), are currently working
on delivering safe, new methods of managing ventilation air methane (VAM) generated
by underground coal mines.

The release of fugitive methane
emissions is a by-product of underground coal mining and accounts for 64 per
cent of all greenhouse gas emissions from the coal mining sector.

Announced in 2014, Professor
Moghtaderi will lead two research projects that will address some of the major
technical barriers to the full scale commercial deployment of VAM emissions
abatement technologies, including the critical challenge of safe connection to
the ventilation systems of underground mines.

The two projects received a total
$30 million in funding from the Australian Government's Department of Industry
and ACA Low Emissions Technologies Ltd.

Comparing his technologies to
'insurance' for climate change, Professor Moghtaderi said the VAM technology can
potentially reduce fugitive methane emissions from underground coal mine
operations by up to 90 per cent, reducing
Australia's total national greenhouse gas inventory by about three percent and save
industry millions.

"On an Australia-wide scale, removing VAM emissions from underground
coal mining operations would be the equivalent to removing 2.8 million cars
from our roads."

Once developed, the project outcomes will be equally applicable in other
countries with underground coal mines.

"People take out home and car insurance to protect
their assets and themselves from unknown events in the future. A similar
rationale can be applied to energy technologies.

"We might not fully understand the impacts of
climate changes, but are we comfortable with doing nothing and hoping that
everything will be OK?"

This commitment has also seen Professor Moghtaderi and
co-inventor Dr Elham Doroodchi and their teams to work with industry and develop
GRANEX, an emission-free engine that turns heat from low-grade sources such as
geothermal and industrial waste heat into electricity.

"I always enter my first lecture with a hot cup of coffee,
which I place under a scaled model of a sterling engine connected to a propeller.
The heat from my coffee powers the propeller blades of the model. It is a
simple example of how waste heat can be used. I have been using that
demonstration for ten years now and will never grow tired of seeing how excited
it makes my students."

The technology delivers higher thermal efficiencies
than conventional power plants, improving cycle efficiency and increasing the
net electrical output from a given heat source by around 40 per cent.

A solar thermal combined power and heat plant using
GRANEX is expected to be fully operational by March 2014 at the Wallsend public
pool.

"We recently installed GRANEX technology to heat a
local swimming pool. This is now a recreational resource for the community that
can be used all year round, instead of just the warmer months."

"This is just one example of the commercial applications
for GRANEX. It has significant potential international market value and could generate
billions of dollars."

The revolutionary device is capable of using heat
sources that might not otherwise be viably recycled, such as the flue gas from
a coal-fired power station, exhaust from a diesel engine or heat from a
geothermal source.

GRANEX was created after Granite Power Pty Ltd approached the University' commercial arm, Newcastle Innovation, looking for help
to solve a problem they were having regarding developing commercially
attractive geothermal energy technology.

Professor Moghtaderi said the ease with which
industry could approach and work with global leaders had helped cement the University
of Newcastle's reputation as being at the international forefront of research
into clean and sustainable energy sources.

"The spirit of research here at the University of
Newcastle is that we have a strong solutions-focused approach and want to see
this research applied to the real world – we aim to be pragmatic and practical,"
said Professor Moghtaderi.

"With NIER, a world-class interdisciplinary
research facility both here on campus, Newcastle truly is Australia's hub in
energy research."

Driven by the desire to reduce greenhouse gases, Professor Behdad Moghtaderi is transforming the energy and mining sectors using his revolutionary GRANEX heat engine and greenhouse gas abatement technologies.Attracting more than $48 million in research funding in the past 12…

Leading change

Our
researchers are on a mission to reduce the world's greenhouse gas emissions

Professor Behdad Moghtaderi is on a mission to solve global energy challenges through world-leading research to develop low emissions coal technologies, renewable energy technologies and engineering solutions to improve energy efficiency in industry.

"I am driven by a desire to develop technologies that will help reduce greenhouse emissions. The future of our planet relies on it," says Professor Behdad Moghtaderi.

It is this passion that has equipped the chemical engineer to take a leading role in the University of Newcastle's Centre for Energy, a national leader in the research field of new-generation clean and renewable energy production. The Centre is a key component of the Newcastle Institute for Energy
and Resources (NIER), a world-class interdisciplinary research facility on the University campus.

A consultant to government and industry, Professor Moghtaderi is a global thought leader, anticipating priorities for change and development in the energy sector. As a result, he has attracted more than $32 million in research funding in the past 12 years.

"We have recognised the research opportunities, and we are delivering results that are shaping government and industry agendas."

It is this influence and expertise that is generating sustainability outcomes on a global scale. His latest work involving Ventilation Air Methane, or VAM, may hold the key to unlocking one of the underground coal mining industries greatest environmental challenges. With the potential to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions from underground coal mining operations by as much as 90 per cent, Professor Moghtaderi's VAM technology could lead to emissions reductions equivalent to the removal of 2.8 million cars from Australian roads.

Professor Moghtaderi gained popular attention when his GRANEX power platform featured on the ABC TV's The New Inventors in 2011. GRANEX, developed in conjunction with Granite Power Pty Ltd, is an emission-free engine that turns heat from low-grade sources into electricity.

It is revolutionary because it is capable of using heat sources that might not otherwise be viably recycled, such as the flue gas from a coal-fired power station, exhaust from a diesel engine or heat from a geothermal source.

Commercialised examples of his technologies are abundant and can be found throughout the world in power stations, the mining and minerals processing industry and community assets such as swimming pools.

Professor Moghtaderi compares his technologies to 'insurance' for climate change.

"People take out home and car insurance to protect their assets and themselves from unknown events in the future. A similar rationale can be applied to the technologies that fascinate me. We might not fully understand the impacts of climate change but are we comfortable with doing nothing and hoping
that everything will be OK?"

Professor Moghtaderi firmly believes the University is at the international forefront of research into clean and sustainable energy sources.

"The University's engineering area has always been a leader and now, with our Centre for Energy and the Newcastle Institute for Energy and Resources on campus, Newcastle really is Australia's hub in energy research."

As a lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Professor Moghtaderi is taking steps to ensure this tradition continues by inspiring and cultivating the next generation of researchers.

"I always enter my first lecture with a hot coffee, which I place under a model of an engine and propeller. The heat from my coffee powers the propeller blades of the model. It's an example of the GRANEX technology. I have been using that demonstration for ten years now and will never grow tired of
seeing how excited it makes my students."

With such enthusiasm for learning, it is easy to see how Professor Moghtaderi has received several teaching awards.

Looking to the future, Professor Moghtaderi hopes to continue his exploration of community applications of his technology.

"We recently installed GRANEX technology to heat a local swimming pool. This generated great outcomes for the community as it is now a recreational resource that can be used all year round, instead of just the warmer months."

Career Summary

Biography

Professor Behdad Moghtaderi's research expertise is in the general field of energy and the environment. He has broad experience, knowledge and achievements in this field, particularly in application areas, such as renewable energy resources (e.g. biomass combustion / gasification, and geothermal power cycles), fire safety science, hydrogen powered micro-energy systems, and energy efficiency in buildings. Prof Moghtaderi has worked with both reacting and non-reacting flows, spanning gaseous and particle-laden flow from laboratory to pilot-scale experimental facilities and full-scale plants. His experience spans both the experimental, involving a wide range of laser-diagnostic and conventional techniques, to modelling using computational fluid dynamics (CFD). All are of direct relevance to the research program of the PRC-Energy. Prof Moghtaderi has worked closely with industry, government (Federal Government Geothermal Industry Round Table, Australian Greenhouse Office, etc) and international bodies (the International Energy Agency, IEA) on his research activities informing policy and practice. He served as the Honorary Secretary of The Australian and New Zealand Section of the Combustion Institute between 2007-2010. Within his area of expertise, Prof Moghtaderi has jointly published in excess of 220 articles and holds five patents. Since joining the University of Newcastle in 1999, Prof Moghtaderi has attracted in excess of $32M from the Australian Research Council (ARC) and industry to support his research activities. During this period he has secured 8 ARC-Discovery grants, 12 ARC-Linkage grants, 9 ARC-LIEF grants, 13 nationally competitive grants from none-ARC schemes, 23 industry grants and 21 University grants. Prof Moghtaderi greatly values the importance of research training and, as such, has been heavily involved with the supervision of postgraduate students. Since 1999, Prof Moghtaderi has had 14 PhD and two MSc completions by students under his supervision.

Research ExpertiseThe underlying theme of my research is Thermo-Fluid Engineering encompassing applications in the general field of energy and the environment. The focus of my research is development of technologies suitable for direct/indirect minimisation of greenhouse emissions. I have broad experience, knowledge and interests in this field, particularly in the following application areas which I have established since joining the University of Newcastle in 1999: * Renewable energy systems (e.g. biomass combustion, gasification and co-firing, as well as geothermal power); * Advanced clean coal technologies (e.g. oxy-fuel and chemical looping combustion); * Hydrogen powered micro-energy systems with an emphasis on microfluidics and micro-fabrication; * Energy efficiency (e.g. energy efficiency in buildings, energy efficient desalination), and fire physics. My research is underpinned by a wide range of novel and conventional experimental (e.g. laser-diagnostic, Micro-PIV) and modelling (e.g. computational fluid dynamics, CFD) techniques. I have extensive experience with both reacting and non-reacting flows, spanning gaseous and particle-laden systems from laboratory to pilot-scale facilities and full-scale plants. My research is cutting edge, well respected and internationally recognised. I have worked closely with industry, government, and international organisations on topics related to my research informing/influencing policy and practice. Through my research I have made significant contributions to the application areas listed above. The unique feature of these contributions is the fact that they provide detailed fundamental information about various technologies under conditions pertinent to the full-scale systems. As such, they have immediate applications in the engineering design of energy systems.

Teaching ExpertiseI have taught many undergraduate courses since joining the University in 1997. My primary area of interest is courses related to thermo-fluid engineering. The courses I taught since 1997 include: CHEE111, CHEE1150, CHEE265, CHEE2820, CHEE2830, CHEE2690, CHEE357, CHEE372, CHEE3900, CHEE4210, CHEE4630, CHEE4950, and CHEE4970. I have also led and implemented several curriculum development initiatives, including: * Major revisions of chemical engineering and its associated double degree programs as part of the Faculty Engineering course rationalisation and introduction of the common first year program (revision in 2005, implementation 2006). * Played an instrumental role in the development of a new course-work Master program in Chemical Engineering. * Played an instrumental role in the Faculty of Engineering course rationalisation and introduction of the common first year and General Engineering courses such as GENG1000, GENG1002, GENG1803, GENG3830, (2004-2005). * Development of a Chemical Engineering program for future use in the PSB (Singapore) night program, (2005-2006). * Development of a Chemical/Mechanical Engineering program for UNISS scholars support by the Bradken Pty Ltd (2005). I have been the recepient of the following teaching awards: * The 2006 Carrick Awards for Australian University Teaching, Citations for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning., citation was awarded for : the successful convergence of a student-centred and vertically integrated approach to design in engineering. The 2006 Vice Chancellors Citation for Outstanding Contributions to Student Learning (the University of Newcastle) for: the successful convergence of a student-centred and vertically integrated approach to design in Engineering. *The Institute of Engineers Australia (IEAust) Excellence in Engineering Education Award, 2002. *Several commendation letters from the PVC-Engineering for my teaching performance.

Administrative ExpertiseI have proven experience and demonstrable record of planning, management and quality improvement of services at the university and professional levels. I have: * Simultaneously held four major administrative positions at the Discipline, Faculty and University levels (Chem Eng Program Convenor, Member of the Faculty Teaching and Learning Committee, Member of the Faculty Research Committee, Co-Director PRC-Energy) and have played an influential role in establishing new initiatives and reviewing/streamlining of existing policies/procedures. * Significantly contributed to professional activities through the membership of editorial boards and organising committees, refereeing scientific papers, assessing grant applications, and examining postgraduate theses. * Participated in a campaign to raise public awareness about global warming, renewable energy and clean coal technologies. * Provided expert advice to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the Australian Federal Government and the Australian Greenhouse Office on matters related to global warming, energy efficiency, renewable energy and clean coal technologies.

Keynote presentation (Biomass in Australia)Organisation: The Australians Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and The Indian Academy of Science
Description:
I was invited and delivered a keynote presentation on the topic of "Biomass in Australia" at the Joint meeting of the Indian Academy of Science and The Australians Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, Joint Sustainable Energy Workshop, CSIRO Energy, Newcastle, 5 Dec, 2006.

We combine combustion experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the formation of chlorobenzenes from oxidative thermal decomposition of 1,3-dichl... [more]

We combine combustion experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the formation of chlorobenzenes from oxidative thermal decomposition of 1,3-dichloropropene. Mono- to hexa-chlorobenzenes are observed between 800 and 1150. K, and the extent of chlorination was proportional to the combustion temperature. Higher chlorinated congeners of chlorobenzene (tetra-, penta-, hexa-chlorobenzene) are only observed in trace amounts between 950 and 1050. K. DFT calculations indicate that cyclisation of chlorinated hexatrienes proceeds via open-shell radical pathways. These species represent key components in the formation mechanism of chlorinated polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Results presented herein should provide better understanding of the evolution of soot from combustion/pyrolysis of short chlorinated alkenes.

Abstract Methanol economy is considered as an alternative to hydrogen economy due to the better handling and storage characteristics of methanol fuel than liquid hydrogen. This pa... [more]

Abstract Methanol economy is considered as an alternative to hydrogen economy due to the better handling and storage characteristics of methanol fuel than liquid hydrogen. This paper is concerned about a comprehensive equilibrium thermodynamic analysis carried out on methanol production via an innovative Chemical Looping Carbon Arrestor/Reforming process being developed at the University of Newcastle in order to reduce both energy consumption and carbon emissions. The detailed simulation revealed thermodynamic limitations within the Chemical Looping Carbon Reforming process however on the other hand it also confirmed that the new concept is a low energy requirement and low emission option compared to other methanol production technologies. Specifically, the mass and energy balance study showed that the Chemical Looping Carbon Reforming process typically consumes approximately 0.76-0.77 mole methane, 0.25-0.27 mole carbon dioxide, 0.49-0.50 mole water, and 0.51 mole iron oxide (in a chemical looping manner) per mole of methanol production. Moreover, the energy efficiency of Chemical Looping Carbon Reforming process was found to be ~64-70% and its emission profile was found as low as 0.14 mole carbon dioxide per mole of methanol, which is about 82-88% less than the conventional methanol production process and well below the emission levels of other emerging methanol production technologies.

In a chemical looping combustor (CLC) system, the solid circulation rate (SCR) is a key parameter that determines the design, operating conditions and the overall efficiency of th... [more]

In a chemical looping combustor (CLC) system, the solid circulation rate (SCR) is a key parameter that determines the design, operating conditions and the overall efficiency of the system. In the present work, the gas-solid flow of a CLC cold flow model (10kWth) has been simulated by the computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM). The results showed that the SCR at different locations of the system fluctuates with time with different amplitude, and the variation of SCR is periodically stable. The turbulent gas-solid flow regime in the air reactor was found to be the main mechanism driving the fluctuation of SCR and determined the fluctuation frequency and amplitude. The SCR increased with the flow rates of air/fuel reactors and loop seals, and the total solid inventory. Changes in operating conditions directly induced the change in the mass of solids that were entrained into the riser from the air reactor and how fast the solids were transported therein. A correlation was subsequently proposed to describe the SCR as a function of solid hold-up and gas flow velocity in the riser. The particle residence time decreased in a power law as the SCR increased. Reasonable agreements were obtained between simulations and experiments in terms of solid distribution, gas-solid flow patterns, pressure drop profiles and SCR.

Three Australian sub-bituminous coals were treated with three different ionic liquids (ILs) at a temperature of 100 Â°C. The thermal behaviour of these treated coals were compared... [more]

Three Australian sub-bituminous coals were treated with three different ionic liquids (ILs) at a temperature of 100 Â°C. The thermal behaviour of these treated coals were compared against raw coals via pyrolysis experiments in a Thermogravimetric Analyser. Morphological comparisons were also made via Scanning Electron Microscopy. Among the studied ILs, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim][Cl] was found to perform the most consistently in being able to alter the thermal and morphological properties of most of the coals used. It is posited that this may be due to the large difference in charge density between the delocalised charge of the large bmim cation and the chloride anion which allows this IL to disrupt the cross linked network of coal. It was also found that the interactions of the ionic liquids are coal specific, for instance none of the ionic liquids were able to change the thermal properties of coal A. Moreover, the results indicated that among the studied coals, coal R showed the highest mass loss during pyrolysis in TGA and coal C showed the highest amount of swelling and fragmentation in SEM images. The results displayed in this study indicate that the potential for ionic liquids to be used as pre-treatments in coal liquefaction is promising. Crown

The larger reactor volume, additional oxygen polishing unit, and carbon stripper for the separation of oxygen carriers and ash in the chemical looping combustion (CLC) and/or chemical looping oxygen uncoupling (CLOU) processes for solid fuels are anticipated not only to incur operational complexity but also to increase the capital and operating costs. As an alternative, this paper proposes a novel hybrid process, called "Chemical Looping Oxy Combustor (CLOC)". This novel process provides an integration of chemical looping air separation (CLAS) with fluidized bed oxy-fuel combustion and is expected to eliminate the need for an additional oxygen polishing unit and carbon stripper. It can be retrofitted to any existing coal circulating fluidized bed (CFB) at low cost. The other advantages of CLOC includes less solid handling issues, flexibility in handling low-grade coal with high moisture, no/less contamination of oxygen carriers, no/less slip of CO2/SOx in an air reactor, low energy penalty, etc. Also, in the CLOC process, coal combustion will occur in a separate fluidized bed combustor with relatively faster kinetics, because of the availability of high oxygen concentration (i.e., ~25-28 vol-"%), which eliminates the need for a larger fuel reactor volume. In the current paper, thermodynamic simulations of CLOC process using Cu-, Mn-, and Co-based metal oxide oxygen carriers were performed. Their performances were also compared against the conventional air-firing and oxy-firing technologies, e.g., oxy-fuel combustion integrated with cryogenic air separation unit (CASU) and CLOU. It was identified that the CLOC process needs external heat for reduction reactor provided by either direct or indirect methane combustion. Moreover, a maximum plant thermal efficiency was achieved for CLOC using Cu-based oxygen carrier. The energy penalty of the CLOC process, compared with the air-firing base case, was found to be ~2%-3%, which is ~4-5 times smaller than those of the CASU cases and only half of that of the CLOU process, indicating that CLOC offers a promising option for the combustion of solid fuels.

Fe2O3/Al2O3 is found to be a suitable oxygen carrier candidate for the chemical looping combustion with ultralow methane concentration in a previous study by our team. In order to... [more]

Fe2O3/Al2O3 is found to be a suitable oxygen carrier candidate for the chemical looping combustion with ultralow methane concentration in a previous study by our team. In order to facilitate the fundamental reactor design and understand the energy consumption, the reduction kinetics mechanism of Fe2O3 (hematite) with 0.5 vol % CH4 was determined and the kinetic parameters were estimated based on the thermogravimetric analysis. Two oxygen carriers (i.e., Fe25Al and Fe45Al) were prepared and used in the TGA experiment. It was observed that the reduction of Fe2O3 was a two-steps process. Initially, Fe2O3 is transformed into Fe3O4 (magnetite) at a fast reaction rate and followed by a slow step corresponding to the reduction from Fe3O4 to FeAl2O4. A topochemical approach associated with Hancock and Sharp's method was therefore applied to determine the most suitable kinetic model for the reduction process. It was found that the initial fast step can be described by the Avrami-Erofe'ev phase change model, the A2 model for low conversion, and the A3 model for high conversion, whereas the reaction for the second step was in diffusion control. It also can be concluded that within the Fe2O3 content of 25-45 wt %, there is no difference on the reduction kinetic mechanism and similar activation energy was obtained, which can be comparable with the findings in the literature.

The success of many industrial processes largely depends on the structural characteristics of aggregates. In intensive aerobic digestion process for wastewater treatment applicati... [more]

The success of many industrial processes largely depends on the structural characteristics of aggregates. In intensive aerobic digestion process for wastewater treatment applications, the structural characteristics namely aggregate shape, size and therefore the aggregate surface area strongly influence the transfer of dissolved oxygen from the aeration process to aggregates of harmful contaminants/microorganisms. The aim of this study was to apply Discrete Element Modelling (DEM) techniques to the aggregation of suspended particles (microorganisms) to quantify the available surface area for convection and diffusion as a function of particles number concentration and surface charge. The simulation inputs included particle and fluid characteristics such as particle size and density, solid concentration, suspension pH and ionic strength. A post processing method based on the Go-chess concept was developed to quantify the surface area of aggregate structure. The simulation results showed that whilst an increase in connection points increases the total surface area of the aggregate, this does not necessarily translate into an increase in the surface area available for oxygen transfer as combinations of open and close pores are formed. Aggregate surface area was directly determined by aggregate structural characteristics, and increased rapidly when the coordination number was below 3.5 and the fractal dimension was less than 1.5. A correlation for prediction of aggregate external surface area was also proposed as a function of aggregate structural characteristics in terms of fractal dimension and coordination number.

An experimental study was conducted to identify the most suitable alumina-supported iron-based oxygen carrier for the abatement of ultralow concentration methane using a chemical ... [more]

An experimental study was conducted to identify the most suitable alumina-supported iron-based oxygen carrier for the abatement of ultralow concentration methane using a chemical looping approach. This was done by evaluating the performance characteristics such as reactivity, cyclic stability, and gas conversion. The experiments were carried out in a thermogravimetric analyzer and a fixed bed reactor setup under the desired conditions. Thermodynamics analysis was carried out using the commercially available software ASPENPLUS. The analysis suggested that the favorable iron-based oxygen carriers were those with the weight content of Fe2O3 less than 50 wt %. Three Fe2O3/Al2O3 samples were therefore prepared with the metal oxide contents in the range of 10-45 wt %, i.e., Fe10Al, Fe25Al, and Fe45Al. The thermogravimetric analysis experimental results showed that the reduction reactivity and stability were improved with the addition of support material compared with unsupported Fe2O3. Moreover, the reduction reactivity varied with the solid conversion range and the weight content of the parent material. For full reduction of Fe2O3 to Fe3O4, the sample Fe10Al showed the highest reduction reactivity. However, in terms of the rate of oxygen transport (which considers the combined effects of the oxygen transfer capacity and reactivity), the highest value was achieved by the Fe45Al sample. The gas conversion of CH4 to CO2 was also quite dependent on the weight content of Fe2O3. Essentially, Fe45Al delivered the longest duration on high-level conversion (i.e., complete conversion of CH4 to CO2). In summary, Fe45Al was found to be the most suitable oxygen carrier candidate in this application. The effect of operational parameters was further examined with various reaction temperatures (873-1073 K), methane concentrations (0.1-1.5 vol %), and CO2 compositions (0-50 vol %).

A techno-economic analysis was carried out to assess the oxy-fuel conversion of eight major coal-fired power plants in the state of NSW, Australia. For this purpose, several alter... [more]

A techno-economic analysis was carried out to assess the oxy-fuel conversion of eight major coal-fired power plants in the state of NSW, Australia. For this purpose, several alternative retrofit configurations, differing only in the air separation unit (ASU) but otherwise identical, were considered. More specifically, three types of oxygen plants were studied: a cryogenic-based air separation unit and integrated chemical looping air separation units using steam (ICLAS[S]) and recycled flue gas (ICLAS[FG]) as the reduction medium. The main objective of the techno-economic analysis was to determine if the economic viability of oxy-fuel operations could be enhanced by incorporating ICLAS technology. The results show that the normalized oxygen demand for the NSW fleet of coal-fired power plants was about 450-550 m3/MWh, with Bayswater having the lowest normalized oxygen demand and Munmorah having the highest one. Moreover, it was found that by replacing a cryogenic-based ASU with an ICLAS unit, the average reduction in the ASU power demand was up to 47% and 76%, respectively, for ICLAS[S] and ICLAS[FG]. Similarly, the average thermal efficiency penalty associated with the cryogenic and the ICLAS[S] and ICLAS[FG] units was found to be about 9.5%, 7.5%, and 5%, respectively, indicating that the ICLAS[FG] unit is the most energy efficient option for oxy-fuel plants. Economic analyses suggest that a retrofit cost reduction of about 32% can be achieved by incorporating an ICLAS[FG] unit. On average, the levelized cost of electricity associated with the cryogenic and the ICLAS[S] and ICLAS[FG] units for the NSW fleet of coal-fired power plants was found to be about $118/MWh, $105/MWh, and $95/MWh, respectively.

Statistical analyses are important for real-world validation of theoretical model predictions. In this article, a statistical analysis of real data shows empirically how thermal r... [more]

Statistical analyses are important for real-world validation of theoretical model predictions. In this article, a statistical analysis of real data shows empirically how thermal resistance, thermal mass, building design, season and external air temperature collectively affect indoor air temperature. A simple, four-point, diurnal, temperature-by-time profile is used to summarise daily thermal performance and is used as the response variable for the analysis of performance. The findings from the statistical analysis imply that, at least for moderate climates, the best performing construction/design will be one in which insulation and thermal mass arrangements can be dynamically altered to suit weather and season.

Abstract Greenhouses typically employ conventional burner systems to suffice heat and carbon dioxide required for plant growth. The energy requirement and carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burner are generally high. As an alternative, this paper describes a novel greenhouse calcium looping process which is expected to decrease the energy requirements and associated carbon dioxide emissions. The conceptual design of greenhouse calcium looping process is carried out in the ASPEN Plus v 7.3 simulator. In a greenhouse calcium looping process, the calcination reaction is considered to take place during day time in order to provide the required optimum carbon dioxide between 1000 and 2000 ppm, while the carbonation reaction is occurred during night time to provide required heat. The process simulations carried out in ASPEN indicates that greenhouse calcium looping process theoretically attributes to zero emission of carbon dioxide. Moreover, in a scenario modelling study compared to the conventional natural gas burner system, the heat duty requirements in the greenhouse calcium looping process were found to reduce by as high as 72%.

In a chemical looping combustor (CLC) system, the solid circulation rate (SCR) is a key parameter that determines the design, operating conditions and the overall efficiency of th... [more]

In a chemical looping combustor (CLC) system, the solid circulation rate (SCR) is a key parameter that determines the design, operating conditions and the overall efficiency of the system. In the present work, the gas-solid flow of a CLC cold flow model (10kWth) has been simulated by the computational fluid dynamics-discrete element method (CFD-DEM). The results showed that the SCR at different locations of the system fluctuates with time with different amplitude, and the variation of SCR is periodically stable. The turbulent gas-solid flow regime in the air reactor was found to be the main mechanism driving the fluctuation of SCR and determined the fluctuation frequency and amplitude. The SCR increased with the flow rates of air/fuel reactors and loop seals, and the total solid inventory. Changes in operating conditions directly induced the change in the mass of solids that were entrained into the riser from the air reactor and how fast the solids were transported therein. A correlation was subsequently proposed to describe the SCR as a function of solid hold-up and gas flow velocity in the riser. The particle residence time decreased in a power law as the SCR increased. Reasonable agreements were obtained between simulations and experiments in terms of solid distribution, gas-solid flow patterns, pressure drop profiles and SCR.

The Chemical Looping Air Separation (CLAS) process was developed at the University of Newcastle for tonnage oxygen production. CLAS has a much lower energy intensity than conventi... [more]

The Chemical Looping Air Separation (CLAS) process was developed at the University of Newcastle for tonnage oxygen production. CLAS has a much lower energy intensity than conventional processes, requiring only 12 % of the specific power consumption; however, there are still some energy penalties associated with the CLAS process. The most significant being the large amounts of energy consumed in the steam generation and condensation processes. The aim of this study is to increase the energy efficiency of the CLAS process via membrane integration. If a high temperature oxygen transport membrane is introduced in the reduction reactor of the CLAS system, pure oxygen is produced without the need for a steam condenser. The most attractive oxygen transport membrane is Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2 (BSCF) owing to its high oxygen permeation flux. The BSCF membrane was utilised to study the oxygen permeation flux, oxygen recovery and energy saving of the integrated process compared to the typical CLAS process. A mathematical model was developed for the BSCF disk membrane to predict the oxygen permeation flux and oxygen recovery over a range of temperatures. Constants of the model were fitted using experimental data. The modelling results showed almost 10 % and 13 % energy savings in the low and high temperature membrane integrated CLAS processes over the typical CLAS, respectively.

Moghtaderi B, Galvin KP, 'Comparison of partial oxidation and auto-thermal reforming of methane for production of hydrogen in a novel micro-reactor', Proceedings of the Australian Combustion Symposium 2007, Sydney (2007) [E1]

Moghtaderi B, Dlugogorski BZ, Kennedy EM, 'Proceedings of the 1999 Australian Symposium on Combustion and The Sixth Australian Flame Days', Proceedings, 1999 Australian Symposium on Combustion and The Sixth Australian Flame Days, Newcastle (1999) [E4]

A Fundamental Study on Deflagration To Detonation Transition In Ventilation Air MethaneChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2014

Advanced Applications of Tunable Magnetite Nanofluids in Energy Systems and Energy HarvestersChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2014

Development of a Comprehensive Metric Which Characterises the Thermal Performance of Complete Buildings *****Approval to submit early. Saved in TRIM****Engineering & Related Technolo, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2013

Formation of Toxic Compounds in the Thermal Decomposition of 1,3-DichloropropeneChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentCo-Supervisor

2013

Application of Novel Calcium Looping Process for Providing CO2 and Heat to GreenhousesChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2013

A Novel Ex-Situ Calcium Looping Process for Removal and Conversion of Tars Formed During Biomass GasificationChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2013

Hydrodynamics of Two and Three Phase Microfluidised BedsChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentCo-Supervisor

2012

The Effects of Climate Change, Peak Oil and Practical Design Refurbishments on Reducing the Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Existing Australian Residential Buildings in a Warm Temperate EnvironmentEngineering & Related Technolo, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

2012

The Potential Role of Biochar to Improve Mine Rehabilitation Outcomes in the Hunter ValleyEnvironmental Studies, Faculty of Science and Information TechnologyCo-Supervisor

2011

A Fundamental Study on Char Creation from Coal Tailings ('Chailings') and its Application as a Soil AmendmentChemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Built EnvironmentPrincipal Supervisor

The University of Newcastle has received $30
million to develop and roll-out world-leading abatement technologies for fugitive
methane emissions from underground coal mining operations. The new technologies
could reduce these emissions from the sector by as much as 90 percent and
reduce Australia's annual greenhouse gas output by three percent.

Professor Behdad Moghtaderi

Position

ProfessorSchool of EngineeringFaculty of Engineering and Built Environment